July 20, 2010

Brooklyn Rabbi Leads Anti-Boycott

Rabbi Aaron Raskin showed his support for Israel by buying Ahava cosmetics at Rickey’s on Montague Street this week, bucking Israel opponents who rallied outside the shop last week.

Shliach to Brooklyn Heights, Rabbi Aaron Raskin went shopping simply to “make a stand” against an anti-Israel demonstration. Rabbi Raskin publicly bought Ahava cosmetic products, making a stand in support of Israel

BROOKLYN — One of Brooklyn Heights’s most-influential Jewish leaders fought back against an anti-Israel rally last Friday by doing what influential rabbis do in such situations: he bought cosmetics.

Rabbi Aaron Raskin of Congregation B’nai Avraham picked up some Ahava products at Ricky’s cosmetics shop on Montague Street just a few days after the store was picketed by protesters claiming that selling the West-Bank-made lotions supported Israel’s “illegal” occupation of the West Bank.

Raskin said he did his shopping simply to “make a stand” against the protesters. He also e-mailed his 2,000-person congregation urging members to support Ricky’s and Israel by buying Ahava goods, which are made in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

“It is inescapable to see [the protest] as anything other than an expression of anti-Semitism,” Raskin said in the e-mail.

On Tuesday, he made his purchases and even blessed the staff of the hipster cosmetic store on the way out.

“Anyone who buys Israeli products, including Ricky’s, will receive many blessings,” he said.

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Rabbi Aaron Raskin showed his support for Israel by buying Ahava cosmetics at Rickey’s on Montague Street this week, bucking Israel opponents who rallied outside the shop last week.

Shliach to Brooklyn Heights, Rabbi Aaron Raskin went shopping simply to “make a stand” against an anti-Israel demonstration. Rabbi Raskin publicly bought Ahava cosmetic products, making a stand in support of Israel

BROOKLYN — One of Brooklyn Heights’s most-influential Jewish leaders fought back against an anti-Israel rally last Friday by doing what influential rabbis do in such situations: he bought cosmetics.

Rabbi Aaron Raskin of Congregation B’nai Avraham picked up some Ahava products at Ricky’s cosmetics shop on Montague Street just a few days after the store was picketed by protesters claiming that selling the West-Bank-made lotions supported Israel’s “illegal” occupation of the West Bank.

Raskin said he did his shopping simply to “make a stand” against the protesters. He also e-mailed his 2,000-person congregation urging members to support Ricky’s and Israel by buying Ahava goods, which are made in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

“It is inescapable to see [the protest] as anything other than an expression of anti-Semitism,” Raskin said in the e-mail.

On Tuesday, he made his purchases and even blessed the staff of the hipster cosmetic store on the way out.

“Anyone who buys Israeli products, including Ricky’s, will receive many blessings,” he said.